Name: Video: August 2011: This Month in JoVE
Uploaded: 2011-08-01T11:00:00.000+00:00
Duration: 4 min 37 s
Description: 5.0K Views. Here are some highlights from the August 2011 Issue of Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).

<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2715">Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease</a></h2>
Erin Hussey, Brandon Ally Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University
The methodology for collecting high-density event-related potential data while patients with Alzheimer's disease perform a recognition memory task is reviewed. This protocol will include subject preparation, quality assurance, data acquisition, and data analysis.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2753">Axon Stretch Growth: The Mechanotransduction of Neuronal Growth</a></h2>
Joseph R. Loverde1, 2, Rosa E. Tolentino1, 2, Bryan J. Pfister1 1Departments of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 2Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
A unique tissue engineering method was developed to elongate numerous nerve fibers in culture by recapitulating axon stretch growth; a form of nervous system growth whereby nerves elongate in conjunction with growth of the enlarging body.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2829">Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field</a></h2>
John Y. Takekawa1, Nichola J. Hill1, 2, Annie K. Schultz1, Samuel A. Iverson1, Carol J. Cardona3, 4, Walter M. Boyce2, Joseph P. Dudley5 1USGS Western Ecological Research Center, 2Wildlife Health Center, University of California, Davis, 3Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, 4Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota , 5Science Applications International Corporation
This study describes diagnosis of avian influenza in wild birds using a portable rRT-PCR system. The method takes advantage of freeze-dried reagents to screen wild birds in a non-laboratory setting, typical of an outbreak scenario. Use of molecular tools provides accurate and sensitive alternatives for rapid diagnosis.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2832">Avian Influenza Surveillance with FTA Cards: Field Methods, Biosafety, and Transportation Issues Solved</a></h2>
Robert H.S. Kraus1, Pim van Hooft1, Jonas Waldenstr&#246;m2, Neus Latorre-Margalef2, Ronald C. Ydenberg1, 3, Herbert H.T. Prins1 1Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, 2Section for Zoonotic Ecology and Epidemiology, School of Natural Sciences, Linnaeus University, 3Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University 
A method to preserve, detect and sequence RNA from Avian Influenza Viruses was validated and extended using natural faecal samples from birds. This technique removes the necessity of maintaining a cool chain and handling of infectious viruses and can be applied in a 96-well high-throughput setup.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2852">Time-lapse Microscopy Of Early Embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans</a></h2>
Lynn Boyd1, Connie Hajjar1, Kevin O'Connell2 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 2NIDDK-National Institutes of Health
This article describes a technique for the visualization of the early events of embryogenesis in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2938">Agrobacterium-Mediated Virus-Induced Gene Silencing Assay In Cotton</a></h2>
Xiquan Gao1, Robert C. Britt Jr.1, Libo Shan2, Ping He1 1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Institute of Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Texas A&#38;M University, 2Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Institute of Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Texas A&#38;M University
We present the detailed protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) assay in cotton. The tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-derived VIGS vectors were deployed to induce RNA silencing of cotton GrCLA1, Cloroplastos alterados 1 gene. The albino phenotype caused by silencing GrCLA1 was observed at the seedling stage within 2 weeks after inoculation.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2949">Multi-electrode Array Recordings of Neuronal Avalanches in Organotypic Cultures</a></h2>
Dietmar Plenz, Craig V. Stewart, Woodrow Shew, Hongdian Yang, Andreas Klaus, Tim Bellay Section on Critical Brain Dynamics, National Institute of Mental Health
A robust way to study neuronal avalanches, i.e. scale-invariant spatio-temporal activity bursts, indicative of critical state dynamics in cortex. Avalanches emerge spontaneously in developing superficial layers of cultured cortex which allows for long-term measurements of the activity with planar integrated multi-electrode arrays (MEA) under precisely controlled conditions.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=3007">Haptic/Graphic Rehabilitation: Integrating a Robot into a Virtual Environment Library and Applying it to Stroke Therapy</a></h2>
Ian Sharp1, James Patton1, Molly Listenberger2, Emily Case2 1Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, 2Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Recently, a vast amount of prospects have come available for human-robot interactive systems. In this paper we outline the integration of a new robotic device with open source software that can rapidly make possible a library of interactive functionality. We then outline a clinical application for a neurorehabilitation application.
<h2><a href="https://www.jove.com/details.php?id=3058">Pharmacological and Functional Genetic Assays to Manipulate Regeneration of the Planarian Dugesia japonica</a></h2>
John D. Chan, Jonathan S. Marchant Department of Pharmacology and The Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota Medical School
An attractive model for studying stem cell differentiation within a live animal is the planarian flatworm. Regeneration is studied by simple amputation experiments that are easily performed in a basic laboratory and are amenable to pharmacological and genetic (in vivo RNAi) manipulation as detailed by protocols in this article.

august 2011: this month in jove

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August 2011: This Month in JoVE

Here are some highlights from the August 2011 Issue of Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).

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JoVE Journal

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5.0K Views. Here are some highlights from the August 2011 Issue of Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).

Video: August 2011: This Month in JoVE

August 2012: This Month in JoVE

Traditional microscopy requires lens objectives to magnify specimens, and can involve numerous optical components like additional objectives, filters, and mirrors to refract and direct light to optical sensors. The August 2012 issue of JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) is marked by the third publication from the Ozcan Lab (University of California, Los Angeles) on their lens free lens-free "on-chip" microscopy platform, which they have pioneered.
Back in 2009, the Ozcan lab published their first article, which demonstrated the use of a lens-free imaging platform that could image cells within whole blood. This imaging technique involves placing a sample directly on an optoelectric sensor array, like the CCD or CMOS chips found in the standard camcorder. Then, LED illumination from above the sample casts shadows on the chip, which are recorded as digital holograms that can be subjected to image processing. Not only does this lensless imaging system allow for an extremely large field of view (FOV of 0.6-8 cm2), the lack of bulky optical components makes it excellent for microfluidic applications. The Ozcan group demonstrates this in their follow-up 2011 JoVE article, in which fluorescently labeled white blood cells are imaged within a microfluidic chip.
This August in JoVE, the Ozcan group demonstrates further advancements to their lens-free microscopy platform by applying it to tomographic imaging of the nematode, C. elegans. By changing the angle of illumination, using a motorized rotation stage, the Ozcan group shows how multiple holographic slices may be generated for a sample-which, following processing, can be combined into tomograms. The Ozcan group confirms that their 3D reconstruction of the worm is successful by citing that the pharyngeal tube, a 5-micron-thick structure, is only visible in a single slice and in a 3D reconstructed cross section.
The compact and inexpensive nature of the lens-free imaging systems - designed and assembled by the Ozcan group - make them well suited for point-of-care diagnostic applications, or even cell phone based microscopy that can be performed in the field.
At the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at University of California, San Francisco JoVE learns how to visualize morphological changes in single cells using three-dimensional fluorescence microscopy and computer analysis. In this procedure, cells are given agonist, antagonist plus agonist, or no treatment, and prepared for immunofluorescence microscopy. Three-dimensional images are acquired with the help of a two-photon laser system, and the fluorescence data are processed on the computer using Imaris and Matlab.
To demonstrate the power of this technique, our authors quantify single-cell phenotypic changes in transfected HEK293 cells. Three-dimensional morphometric analysis shows dramatic changes in cells treated with agonist. These changes are not always apparent when using conventional 2D analysis. This technique allows morphological changes in single cells to be quantified and characterized in response to pharmacologic stimuli, offering a powerful new assessment tool to the arsenal of drug discovery research.
This month, in JoVE Applied Physics, we travel to South Carolina to visit the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson University. Here, researchers show us how to construct lithium batteries for laboratory research.
The basic components of a lithium coin cell are the working electrode, the lithium electrolyte, and a lithium foil counter electrode. The different components of the coin cell are carefully assembled and sealed with a crimping machine. The finished coin cell can then be characterized in a battery tester. Using their homemade coin cells, our researchers can experiment with using different materials to make the cathodes of lithium coin cells.
This month in JoVE Immunology and Infection, we head to Basel, Switzerland to witness two techniques for diagnosing helminth infections. We also see how investigators perform the shuttle run test in children, in order to assess the effects of these infections on physical fitness.
Helminths are parasitic worms that can live inside humans and animals. Many species infect the intestinal tract, and may be transmitted through soil. Our authors demonstrate the Kato-Katz technique, which is used for diagnosing several common soil-transmitted helminths. They also demonstrate the Baermann technique, which uses light to stimulate the migration of certain types of phototactic helminths out of sample preparations. The various types of helminth species can subsequently be determined based on morphology.
Our authors then demonstrate how to set up and perform a 20-meter shuttle run test for children, and to measure the impact of helminth infections on physical fitness. This method can help determine the true burden of soil-transmitted helminth infections on overall health.
This brief summary highlights but a few notable video-articles that will be released in August. We'll also feature articles that demonstrate how to express genes in the midbrain of the chick embryo, study neutrophil transmigration in parallel flow chambers lined with endothelial cells, and precisely measure proteolytic degradation of the extracellular matrix.

Traditional microscopy requires lens objectives to magnify specimens, and can involve numerous optical components like additional objectives, filters, and mirrors to refract and direct light to optical sensors. The August 2012 issue of JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) is marked by the third publication from the Ozcan Lab (University of California, Los Angeles) on their lens-free "on-chip" microscopy platform, which they have pioneered.

Traditional microscopy requires lens objectives to magnify specimens, and can involve numerous optical components like additional objectives, filters, and ...

August 2011: This Month in JoVE

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August 2012: This Month in JoVE